Album Review

Anyone claiming to be even the slightest fan of modern rock was well acquainted with "the Foot" by the time this greatest-hits anthology was released. Even 12 years and six highly acclaimed albums after they first got together, Switchfoot still feel like the band you grew up with — that memorably personal source of musical comfort that you always want to have with you. It's hard to picture how far Jon Foreman and his surfer buddies would come in that space of time — over five million albums sold, three discs hitting the Billboard Top 20, and a string of modern rock radio hits. A handful of those hits — mostly from the band's commercial breakthrough, The Beautiful Letdown — appear on practically every alternative rock fan's "best songs of the 21st century" playlist. And Switchfoot wouldn't be Switchfoot without proving to their fans that they have stayed grounded despite all the accolades. To do this, they included a generous helping of 18 songs on The Best Yet (plus 14 videos on the Deluxe Edition), almost a third of which were culled from their early years on the re:Think label. Listeners who only know "Dare You to Move" or "Meant to Live" will be pleasantly surprised by this disc, which includes the band's latest track from the Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian soundtrack, "This Is Home." A fitting title indeed; The Best Yet still makes you feel at home. It is an endearing collection from one of the most well-known modern rock outfits this side of the post-grunge movement.

Biography

Formed: 1996 in San Diego, CA

Genre: Alternative

Years Active: '90s, '00s, '10s

After gaining a foothold in the contemporary Christian music scene, Switchfoot went mainstream with 2003's The Beautiful Letdown, a double-platinum album that straddled the line between sacred and secular rock music. Years before Switchfoot's commercial breakthrough, though, the group struggled to make a dent in the San Diego area, where singer/guitarist Jonathan Foreman, bassist Tim Foreman, and drummer Chad Butler began playing together in 1996. The lineup logged several shows under its original...